The Hourglass Angel
by Mitsuko Imaidegawa
Summary: The Brawlers go to Acting Camp but so do the Vexos! Questions start to arise: Why is Spectra so dead set on becoming Runo's Prince Charming? Is she slowly falling for her masked foe? What will Dan do to get her back?
1. Setting the Stage

_The Hourglass Angel_

**Mitsuko Imaidegawa: So, guys, can you help me out here and say the disclaimer?**

**Ace: No. **

**Mitsuko: Why not?**

**Mira: Ace's just being a jerk. Here, I'll say it. Mitsuko Imaidegawa does not own Bakugan and never will.**

**Mitsuko: Now, Ace that was easy of Mira to say, wasn't it?**

**Ace: *grumbles unintelligently***

Chapter 1

Setting the Stage

The Bakugan Battle Brawlers walked down the streets of Wardington in the cool, crisp summer air. They were all headed to one place: the Wardington Theater of Performing Arts. It didn't seem like a likely place for the top brawlers of both Earth and Vestal to hang out, but there was a reason. Julie had convinced the gang that they should attend a camp, and not just any camp, an _Acting_ camp. One where everyone would break out of their comfort zones and become a character. Why she had chosen this, no one knew. But they all knew that there was no way to talk her out of something once she set her mind to it. She was Julie Makimoto, after all.

A few blocks from their destination, they all decided to take a break from the scorching heat and sit under the shade of a tree that sat in the middle of the park. Sweat was beading on everyone's foreheads and breathing was hard to do.

Dan sighed. "Tell me again why we're doing this?"

"Don't you remember?" Alice said. "Julie asked us to join her at her Acting Camp. She finds it pretty lonely there without a friend."

"Why can't she just make new friends?" Runo snapped.

"That's not very nice," chastised Alice.

"Well, it's not very nice that we have to walk all the way there in the heat without any directions!"

"She said it was near the library," said Shun. He was leaning against the trunk of the tree nonchalantly, across from Ace. "But we haven't even passed it yet."

Marucho said, "I would have brought my GPS, but I was afraid it would spontaneously combust due to the sun's rays."

The group sighed simultaneously and basked in the coolness of the tree's shade. Everyone had second thoughts about the whole idea. It wasn't like Julie had ever asked them to attend a camp they didn't know squat about before. Being friends of hers for so long, they decided to agree. And she'd seemed so overjoyed, too.

"We should keep going," said Mira. Everyone groaned and started walking again. After what seemed like hours, the Brawlers finally made it to the theater. Now, instead of dragging their feet, they quickened their pace. They all knew that the building would have air conditioning and that their sweaty foreheads would be cleaned.

The Wardington Theater for Performing Arts was a tall building that had three floors. The exterior was mostly brick, but the front doors were glass. There was a window that held all of the upcoming events and some theater masks. Stairs ascended up the side of the building to other doors that either lead to the second or third floor. The public library was right beside the theater.

"See?" Alice said. "I told you it would all work out!"

Alice, always the optimist, made everyone feel a bit better about this whole thing anyways. A few of them even smiled.

"Who knows," Dan said, folding his arms into his chest, "maybe this can be fun!"

They all agreed and entered the theater.

At first, they were taken aback. No one was there at the front desk. It was expected, after all. How were you supposed to register and meet the other if there was no one there?

"This doesn't look too good," said Baron.

"Maybe we have the wrong day?" thought Ace.

"Just keep your eyes peeled for anyone official-looking," Marucho stated. For a few seconds the group wandered the office in search of someone. After a short period of time, they heard footsteps.

"We're down here!" a voice beckoned. It was coming from the foyer, the place that they assumed no one would be.

"Let's just hope we're right about this," grumbled Ace. They huddled down the stairs and found that a young woman was behind a desk, scrawling something down on a piece of paper. Two tables were in front of the desk, one that had the registration sheet on top and the other with colourful construction paper and other craft supplies. The woman looked up and smiled at the group.

"Hello, there," she said, not nearly as cheery and superficial as most stereotypical camp counselors are. "I'm Talia, your counselor for Acting Camp. You can call me Tali, if that's easier to remember." Dan noticed Baron drooling and becoming starry-eyed over her. "If you don't mind, can you please sign your name on the sheet? That way we can keep track of attendance and other stuff like that. You can set your bags near the piano beside me. Camp doesn't start until nine, so you can just chill out until then."

Everyone nodded and hustled over to the sign-up sheet. No one seemed to notice that Julie wasn't around. One by one, each brawler signed their name and took up a seat around the room. Shun was the only one to hover around the clipboard.

"Hey, guys, where's Julie? Didn't she say she'd be waiting?" Runo asked.

"That's what I heard," Mira confirmed.

"Maybe she's in the washroom." Marucho suggested.

"Guys," Shun said. "Her name isn't on the list."

"Whaddya mean it's not on there?" Dan said. They all ran to the sheet where Shun was looking at all of the names.

"She's not here, Dan. It's plain and simple."

All eyes were scanning the sheet for Julie's name, but it never appeared. Sighs and groans of frustration echoed in the room.

"So she lied to us!"

"I knew it was a bad idea."

"Aw, come on, maybe she got the wrong week?"

"No, she lied to us!"

"What seems to be the problem?"

Talia walked out from what seemed to be the kitchen. She had her arms folded over her chest and she lokoed worried.

"Have you heard of a girl by the name of Julie Makimoto signing up for this camp?"

Talia walked over to the laptop that resided behind the front desk and furiously typed into it. She turned it around and showed her version of the sign in list. It was only slightly modified, her being a counselor and whatnot. Julie's name still wasn't there. "Sorry, guys, I haven't heard of her before. Maybe she got the wrong camp…?"

The Brawlers groaned and returned to their seats. The thoughts of the group revolved around Julie and her manipulation skills. _How could we get sucked into this? She owes us so badly! Now what are we going to do? We paid good money for this camp. I wonder what's for lunch?_ Shun didn't return to his seat. Instead, he asked to see Talia's computer and she obliged. Scanning the screen he found some very disturbing news.

"Hey, Dan, come here for a minute."

"What's up, Shun?"

Shun pointed to the screen and the six names that came after theirs. Dan gasped in horror. All Shun had to do was nod his head in agreement. The others noticed Dan's response and they quickly wanted to know what Shun had discovered. As soon as they saw it, they all shared looks of disdain, shock and worry. All eight of them said the name two words at the same time.

"The Vexos."

**A/N Hello, all! This is my first story here on FanFiction and I'd like to say I'm quite proud of it right now! I've been thinking about this idea for a while, so it's been in my head, but I had not the time to make an account and type it out. The POV in this chappie is quite generalized, but in coming chappies, it will mostly be from Runo's, with the exception of a few people. I hope to hear from some people about this. Enjoy and I'll (hopefully) see you all in the next chappie!**

_~Mitsu-chan~3_


	2. A Cast Assembles

**Mitsuko Imaidegawa: Alright! Five reviews already! That makes Mitsu-chan very happy! Thankies to all! And now, the disclaimer!**

**Ace: Why don't you just do it yourself?**

**Mitsuko: Because an authoress has a lot to do already and this is something that can be done by characters from a franchise that I do not own! Oh, fooie. :(**

**Ace: Ha.**

**Runo: (*shoves Ace*) Meanie!**

Chapter 2

A Cast Assembles

**Monday, Day 1**

Runo gasped in horror at the names listed on the paper. Shun was right. The Vexos were signed up in the same exact camp as them. She had to read the names again. _Gus Grav, Age 18. Mylene Pharaoh, Age 18. Shadow Prove, Age 17. Volt Luster, Age 19. Lync Volan, Age 14._ The name that stuck out the most to her was the one she had dreaded the most. It was right below hers and it made her feel queasy.

_Spectra Phantom, Age 19._

Runo tried to shake the haunting image of him kidnapping her when he, Gus and Lync slipped through the Dimension Transporter. She had called him a "feathered freak" due to his apparel and he had snapped back, saying for her to shut her mouth. She had feared that she would be his captive for far longer than she had. Thankfully, Dan and the others had come and set her free. She thanked Dan so much afterwards, but he shrugged it off, saying that it was no problem and that she should just forget about it. She almost had, too, if it were not for the fact that she had feelings for him that she had tried to keep dormant. If he had ever figured them out, she wouldn't know how to react. So she'd pretended she'd only liked him as a friend.

"Runo? Are you okay?"

Runo shook those thoughts out of her head and turned to see Alice putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. Unconsciously, she was shaking and staring at the page as if she were hypnotized. Runo shook her head and smiled. "I'm fine," Alice furrowed her brows, but left her alone. _I like Alice, but sometimes she worries too much and at the wrong time_, Runo thought to herself.

"What are we going to do now?" Baron asked worriedly.

"There's nothing we really can do," Shun answered solemnly. Always the calm one, he took in a deep breath and leaned against the front desk. "We've gotten into this mess and there's no way we can get ourselves out of it."

Elfin popped up and hovered above Marucho's shoulder. "Maybe we could run away! That way, they wouldn't have to see us and we could walk away, none of us the wiser!"

"That would be a good plan," added Percival. "If we could get a refund of our money."

"Besides," added Mira. "If we back out now, it will show them that we're afraid of them. That's just what they want; for us to give up and let them run the show. But we can't let that happen. We're the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Resistance, remember? We saved New Vestroia once so we can certainly win this battle, too! What do you say, guys? Do we persevere and win this fight? Or do we surrender before the battle's begun?"

Mira's speech awakened something in the brawlers—especially Runo. Sure, she hadn't been there to help Dan and the others save New Vestroia. Sure, she wasn't there to see them destroy all three Dimension Controllers and watch the Vexos flee. But she was there to congratulate them afterwards and hear all about it. She was a loyal supporter of them all. And besides, she had help defeat Naga, the very first threat to the Bakugan. Runo felt empowered and she wanted to show those Vexos creeps who was boss.

"We'll show them," said Runo.

"That's the spirit!" said Alice as she clapped her hands together.

"Yeah, this time we'll show them that they're not welcome here on Earth and any time." Dan said, slamming his fist into his hand.

Runo looked up at the clock that hung above the hallway to the bathrooms. _8:59. One more minute. _She swallowed the lump in her throat. She started to hope that they weren't coming. It wasn't like she didn't want to give them a piece of her mind. She just wanted to go to this camp with her friends and not her foes. She looked at the door worriedly. And she wasn't ready for the fallout from her previous comment to Spectra Phantom.

Mira looked at Runo, seeing her distracted and said, "Don't worry they—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the door swung open and a gust of wind came rushing through the foyer. It was so strong that everyone had to shield themselves from the debris it picked up. Talia ducked behind her desk. Ace embraced Mira, protecting her from an assault of branches and dirt. Runo covered her ears and screamed. What was going on out there? The wind finally died down and everyone turned to see their sworn enemies emerge, not affected by the onslaught of debris and smiling wickedly.

"Hello, Brawlers. Did we crash the party?"

xxXXxx

One by one, they descended the stairs. First was Mylene, who had said the previous comment and sneered the whole way down; secondly was Shadow, who bounced around her and laughed like a maniac; thirdly was Lync, who grinned at Alice (sending Runo into a blind rage); fourthly was Volt, who basically only folded his arms and grunted a few times; and finally there was the Spectra Phantom who didn't take his eyes off of Dan the whole time. A Cheshire grin played on his lips. Gus trailed behind him like the obedient lapdog he was.

Talia emerged from her hiding place and checked her laptop. "I assume you six are our final campers?" Her voice was eerily calm. She must not have known all of the horrible, animalistic things they had done to the Bakugan back on New Vestroia. Spectra nodded, representing the group. "then I'll have to ask you to sign your names on this sheet"-she pointed to the registration list the Brawlers had previously scrawled on-"camp regulations. If you have anything you've brought with you, like your lunch or writing utensils, you can place them on the piano bench." She turned around again, but not before staring at Spectra in the eye through the mirror that hung against the wall and saying, "Tomorrow, please be on time. And no tornadoes, please."

Runo glanced at the clock.

_9:05 am._

xxXXxx

It had been an hour since the Vexos had made their grand entrance. During that time, Talia had gone over camp rules and regulations, schedules, and a basic outline of the next two weeks.

"Now the only thing I haven't gone over is what play we will be performing next Thursday." Alice smiled. She was always in the mood to be creative. Runo glanced to her right to see Lync snicker at something Shadow had said. She assumed it was an insult to Alice. She tried not giving them a spiteful look. "Does anyone have any suggestions?"

Shadow raised his hand. "It can't be excessively gory, violent, sexual, or have mature themes." He dropped his hand. "Anyone at all? Do I have to give you some categories? We could always do Shakespeare. Or we could do a fairytale. Or an Italian Comedy."

"What fairytales could we do?" asked Mira.

"Well..." Talia pursed her lips. "In July, we did_ The Little Mermaid_. And last year we did _Beauty and the Beast_. We usually just do Disney."

"How about Cinderella?" Runo couldn't believe that she blurted out what she was thinking. People would probably get the wrong idea and think she meant the sappy child's story. She had to fix this. "I—I mean, we'd do the play, but it would have some sort of twist."

Tali nodded her head. "That sounds good. Have you ever done anything like that before?"

"N—no," she said.

"That's fine," Tali typed her idea into the computer and nodded, satisfied with a good answer. "I'll write the script and have it to you guys by tomorrow. I'll make sure there are enough parts for everyone. I'll add in some humour, intrigue, and some added suspense." She clicked the laptop closed and smiled. "That's it for today." Everyone blinked. _This is an acting camp, right? Shouldn't we be acting?_ thought Runo. "I mean, we've figured out the play and that's about all we can do at this point. Now we play games."

Most of the group groaned, knowing that there was a high chance of having to be paired up with a Vexos. There was nothing they could do about it, after all this was a camp and Tali was the counselor. Runo couldn't help but look over at Spectra, who caught her eye. He glared at her and, in a second, he flashed the cruelest, most devious smile she'd ever seen.

**A/N Hello again! This is a quick update, seeing as I couldn't stop writing! I'm very happy for all of the feedback I've gotten (although more is always appreciated) and that people like this story. I guess there are a few questions that have yet to be answered: what will the Brawlers do now that the Vexos have decided to "crash the party"? Why did Spectra smile at Runo so deviously? Is he planning something? What is the surprise that Tali is planning on adding into the play? All will be answered. . . in due time! Stay tuned! **

_~Mitsu-chan~3_


	3. A Mother's Affection and Advice

**Mitsuko Imaidegawa: It seems like I'm getting five reviews per chapter. That's very interesting.**

**Ace: Just be happy you're getting any at all.**

**Mitsuko: Who said you could appear in every disclaimer?**

**Ace: Fine, I'll leave.**

**Mitsuko: Fine! Oh, Shunny-boy! Please come say the disclaimer for me!**

**Shun: Mitsuko Imaidegawa doesn't own Bakugan.**

**(*Shun disappears into thin air using his awesome ninja skills!*)**

**Mitsuko: Hey, thanks, S—wait. Oh darn he flew away!**

Chapter 3

Motherly Affection and Advice

**Monday, Day 1, Evening**

The remainder of the day was filled up with random games, like _Capture the Flag_ and _Hide-and-Go-Seek_. Obviously, the Brawlers faced off against the Vexos. The Brawlers won _Capture the Flag_, due to Shun's ninja skills and he was not even found in any rounds of _Hide-and-Go-Seek_. Runo had hid in the bathroom, for fear of Spectra finding her. _I shouldn't be afraid of a man who spends more time perfecting his hair than trying to detect his enemies, _thought Runo. It was now bedtime at the Masaki residence and she was curled up in bed. Mrs. Masaki knocked on the door.

"Runo? Can I come in?"

"Yes," she said, hiding under the covers.

Her mother glanced around the room and spotted her. "Are you okay?" she asked, motherly affection evident in her voice.

In all honesty, Runo just wanted to go to sleep and drift away from reality. She didn't want to think about what happened to day or what could've happened. All she could do was close her eyes and let the darkness envelop her. But her mom had other plans.

"Was camp all right? Did something happen that I should know?"

That was exactly what Runo _didn't_ want to talk about.

"You know you can tell me anything. Did something bad happen at camp?"

How could she explain that their sworn enemy had somehow managed to slither their way into their camp without them knowing? How could she explain to her that she was afraid to confront Spectra? How could she explain her fears about Talia's play?

"Mom..." she started. "There's nothing to worry about."

Her mother faltered. She knew she didn't believe it, but she knew she shouldn't ponder.

"If you're sure..."

"Wait." She had to tell her something. After all, she loved her so much that she could tell that she wasn't feeling well and that something was wrong. But what could she say? "Well...there are some mean kids at camp and...I...I mean us, really don't like them. And I'm afraid I'll get paired up with one of them in our play."

There. She wasn't lying and she wasn't telling the whole truth.

Mrs. Masaki sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. "Sweetie...sometimes we get stuck with people we don't necessarily like and I know what it's like. But we have to persevere and make something good out of a bad situation. Sure, you don't care for them, but who's to say that this person won't get the part that's directly linked to yours? They could be backstage flipping the lights! And, if you're really that worried about getting stuck with them then you can just audition for a role that they're not. If worse comes to worse, you'll just have to act."

Runo blinked. She never knew her mother could be so affectionate and not be smothering. She smiled.

"Thanks Mom. I'll remember that."

xxXXxx

**Tuesday, Day 2**

The next morning when they got there, the Vexos were waiting. Lync, Shadow and Mylene had taken up the couch, Volt leaned against the wall beside the couch and Gus and Spectra were sitting on the stairs. All of their favourite spots were taken. Runo groaned in exasperation. _Why does everything they do have some kind of negative effect on us? Sure, we're sworn enemies, but is this all really necessary?_ she thought to herself as she took up a seat on the piano bench. She then realized why they were here before her. _They wanted to be extra early so they wouldn't be considered late. _Lync snickered as Alice walked by him.

"Aren't you a little late, Brawlers?" he asked.

"Aren't you a little short?" retorted Alice. Lync went red and shut his mouth. Shadow laughed at him and Mylene scoffed. _This is so unlike Alice_, thought Runo. _Maybe this whole 'camp' thing is getting on everyone's nerves._

Runo noticed Talia come out from the kitchen with a gigantic stack of papers in her hands.

"Alright, settle down kiddos," she said authoritatively. _The only thing we all agree on is that Talia is neutral. She's not on either side. She'd rather we all just get along than quarrel all the time. _"I stayed up until two in the morning to finish this confounded script, so you should all be pretty grateful. That's why I look like crap and have bags under my eyes. So don't give me a hard time." She set the stack of scripts on the table with a loud thud. Everyone jumped at the startling noise, erasing any sleep they still carried from last night. "I call this bad boy"—she patted the stack affectionately—"_The Bloody Slipper_. Yes, it's a bit gory, but not so that it makes everyone hurl or have nightmares for weeks. There are approximately twelve roles, which means that one person will have to help me backstage. Meaning technical work, props and background. You can look at these scripts and pick out the roles that stand out the most to you. You can audition for three roles at the maximum. Fewer is accepted, but I want a wide range. Example: if you don't get, say, Cinderella (because I know almost every girl is going to go for that part) then you can be, say, one of the step sisters. Okay? I'll hold the auditions this afternoon. We can't afford to waste anymore time playing games. We need to get roles, rehearse and memorize this for next Thursday. So I need you all to cooperate." Tali sighed and leaned against the desk. "Come on up and get it while it's hot."

Runo wondered what roles would stand out to her as she grabbed her script. It was fairly heavy. When she flipped through it, she noticed that the font was big and that there were grammar and spelling errors littered throughout the package.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned to see Mira smiling at her. "Hey, Runo, do you want to scan the play with Alice and me? We're heading up to the stage now."

She nodded. "Sure,"

Runo took the opportunity to glance around at what other people were doing. The Vexos were heading to the Green Room and the other Brawlers were staying in the foyer. _As long as those creeps don't practice with us, I'll be fine._ The girls headed up the stairs to the stage.

It wasn't a spectacular stage, but it was big enough to accommodate them. There were four doorways on the stage that were covered by blue curtains. The audience's seats went up to Row K. Behind the final row was a lighting booth full of lights, sound equipment and various other mechanics. Runo had no clue what she would do if she were to get stuck doing the technical work, as Tali had stated. Alice and Mira were standing in the middle of the stage, plays in hand, ready to rehearse.

"Who do you want to be, Runo?" asked Alice.

She scanned over the _Dramatis Personnae_ and picked out a few names that stood out to her. "Well, who are you guys?"

"Mira's going to be the Detective and I'm going to be the Fairy Godmother."

That answered Runo's question completely. "Then I'll be Cinderella."

"Okay!"

The scene they were rehearsing was one where the Fairy Godmother attended to Cinderella after she was thrown into the cellar by her stepmother. Alice had suggested they act out what they thought would be happenening if this were the real thing. Mira started:

"She bellowed—"

"HELP!" yelled Runo. She had collapsed on the ground and was beating the ground with her fist.

"And—"

"LET ME OUT!"

"The Fairy Godmother heard her cry and appeared in a blaze of light."

Alice did a miniature twirl and stood in front of her.

"My dear, are you alright?"

"Alright?" Runo said, anguish and sarcasm thick in her voice. "Do I look alright? Get me to that ball. There is a disco at the palace and everyone is gone and I am jealous! I want a dress, I want a coach, I want earrings and a diamond broach, and silver slippers, two of those, and some nice nylon panty hose."

"Well, then, hang on just a tick, let me give my wand a flick. there you are! Go look in your room and get to that ball!"

"Oh, that's not why I want to go..." Runo stood up and pondered. "I have business to take care of. I need to ruin Hattie's life once and for all! She wants a Prince that will drop dead at the sight of her? That I can do."

"Wow Runo, you're really good! And it was your first time, too." praised Mira.

"Maybe you should go out for Cinderella. You have a good shot at getting the part."

The other girls cheered and continued to parise her. She smiled and thanked them and complimented them back. That got them distracted enough for Runo start spacing out about being there, centre stage, reciting her lines and getting roses from the audience. But Runo couldn't help but hear another set of hands clappig and a voice whispering, "Brava".

**A/N Hello, again! I reall enjoyed writing this chapter. Have some of your questions been answered? If not, stay tuned for the next chappie. The last line is quoting _The Phantom of the Opera. _I love that so much! Please review and wait patiently for the next update! **

_~Mitsu-chan~3_


	4. Casting Call

**Mitsuko Imaidegawa: I'm getting more reviews for every chapter. It's exciting! So exciting that I've decided to have a special guest say the disclaimer. Oh, Masquerade!**

**Masquerade: Hello, Mitsu-chan.**

**Mitsuko: (*giggling and blushing uncontrollably*) Hee, hee, hello, Masquerade.**

**Masquerade (*chuckling*): Mitsuko Imaidegawa does not own Bakugan.**

**Mitsuko: Thank you, Masquey-baby.**

**Masquerade: Now, I have to go back to being dead. Or at least that's what they WANT you to think. Bye, Mitsu-chan.**

**Mitsuko: Oh, sweet mother of toast…3**

Chapter 4

Casting Call

Runo stood in awe at what she just heard. The voice that uttered "brava" was velvety and soft: it reminded her of a bell chiming. She knew it was a male voice, due to the fact that a female couldn't possibly reach it reached the octaves. She was sure it was just Dan pulling her leg. He must've been hiding back stage and eavesdropping on her performance. Who else would've had the nerve? With that decision reached inside her brain, Runo huffed and looked over to Alice and Mira.

"We should go back downstairs. It's almost lunch time," said Alice. For some reason, they didn't hear the voice, like she did. _That's weird_, she thought, _that I'm the only one who heard it. If I ask them about it, than they'll think I'm delusional or something. Maybe I should keep this to myself, at least for the time being. _

"Sure," she replied with a smile. It seemed like her plan had gone off without a hitch.

When they got to the foyer, they noticed that everyone was still fanning over their scripts. The Vexos were back, but were surprisingly calm and quiet as they too read over their respective piles of paper. The girls took up a seat near Baron, Ace and Marucho. Shun and Dan were nowhere to be found.

"Alright, everyone, lunch. You've got half an hour. You can review your scripts and make some final decisions as well."

Runo grabbed her lunch and sat down with the other members of the Resistance. She pulled out a ham sandwich and began nibbling at the crust.

"So, Runo," asked Marucho. He poised a salmon sandwich and a juice box in one hand and his script in the other. "What role are you going to audition for?"

Runo swallowed the bit of sandwich she had placed in her mouth and replied, "I haven't decided yet. How about you?"

"Well," he said, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "I think I'll take Talia up on her offer."

"What offer?" asked she.

"I think I'll assist her with the technical work backstage. You know the lighting and the pyrotechnics…"

Once he said that word, she choked on her sandwich. "What?"

Marucho laughed. "I'm just pulling your leg, Runo. We don't have the proper tools to have a proper pyrotechnic show." That made Runo calm down and she continued to eat her lunch. "And besides, it would make this whole place go up in flames." He continued laughing, but she felt like she could puke.

"I think I'll go as the Detective." stated Mira. "It would be interesting to crack the case."

"Hmm," Alice was flipping through her script and looking and starred roles. "I'm torn between Raspusha and the Fairy Godmother."

"I didn't think you would want such a big part, Alice,"

"Well…I feel like I have a connection with her. And the Fairy Godmother is a heavenly figure."

Runo blinked. She'd never thought of this play as more than just a story on paper. She never thought that she could have a connection with a figment of someone else's imagination. She thought that picking a character to portray was all about personal preference over similar characteristics. A smile grew on her face. _I think I know who I want to audition for now._

The door to the stage flew open and Dan and Shun descended the staircase. Dan was talking to Shun about something that had happened previously and Shun nodded respectfully. The two scanned the foyer for a place to eat.

"Hey Dan! Shun! Come over here!" called Baron, waving his arm to catch their attention. When the boys sat down they were immediately bombarded with the question on everyone's minds.

"Where were you guys?"

"Well," Dan started. "Shun had a great idea and I went along with it."

"What was this 'great idea'?" pondered Marucho.

"You see," Shun explained. "I found a secluded place over the foot bridge on this side of town. It's quiet and it allows you to really think and meditate. I thought that we could sit there and think about which role we wanted. And since no one was around, we practiced our lines like we were performing them for an audience."

"So, who'd you choose?" asked Mira.

"I'm trying out for the Detective." Said Shun.

"I'm going for the Prince." said Dan. He stuck his index finger into the air and smiled. "I've got that one in the bag!"

Runo scoffed. "Sure Dan. You just keep telling yourself that. Who knows, it may actually come true,"

Dan twitched. "Are you kidding me? I can win against any brawler and yet you doubt my skills in acting? Jeez, Runo, I thought you had more faith in me than that. But I guess I was wrong…"

"Just because you're good at brawling doesn't mean you'll be an expert at acting, too."

"Oh, really? Well, let's just see who gets the part they want!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!"

"Hey." Tali emerged from the kitchen, holding a clipboard and a pen in her arms. "Everyone, are you ready for auditions? Do I have any volunteers?"

"I WILL!" yelled Runo in exasperation. Everyone turned to see her, red-faced, breathing heavy and with a pout on her lips. She scooped up her script, stormed past Dan and walked up the stairs to the auditorium.

Tali looked back and said, "She'll come down and tell the next person to come up."

xxXXxx

Runo stood in the middle of the stage, script in shaking hand, swallowing the lump in her throat, and waiting for Tali to tell her when to go. She was scribbling down something on her clipboard. She sat in the back row where a desk was attached between two seats. A small desk lamp was turned on to allow her to see. Runo fought the urge to cough discreetly or tap her foot loudly to get her attention. Before she tried one of them, though, Tali looked up from her notes and nodded towards her.

"Whenever you're ready." She said.

Runo took in a deep breath and turned to the page she had starred beforehand. She opened her mouth to speak, but Tali cut her off.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to ask who you're going out for. Your top three would be nice."

She took in a deep breath to ready herself and said, "Cinderella is my number one role. And if I don't get her, then I'll go for either the Queen or the Fairy Godmother."

"Very well. I'd like you to recite lines from each of the characters, just so I can see if you're better suited for them instead of your first pick. Okay?"

Runo nodded.

"Whenever you're ready."

She took a step back and picked the best lines that conveyed Cinderella. "I ran into the Prince when I went shopping." She paused, pretending that someone was saying Raspusha's lines. They played in her head, like clockwork. _You _what_? Really? Was he charming and handsome and dashing, just like everyone says he is? I'll bet he fell instantly in love with you! _"What? Ew, no! He was handsome, but not charming at all. He was like a leech! He wouldn't get away from me and couldn't stop bragging about himself." _That's news to me. I mean, Hattie knows everything about him but she's never really met him. To her, he is the perfect man. _"To her, he's the jackpot! She doesn't care if he's sweet o kind or intelligent, she only cares about money." _True. But was he really that bad? _"Yes. I would kill him before I ever married him." She made sure to but extra emphasis on the word kill. She waited a second to ask if she should go on. All she could hear was Tali's pen scribbling furiously on her clipboard.

"I'm done." She said shyly.

Tali looked up from her paper and smiled. "Can you bring me Alice next? Thanks." And then she resumed her maniac writing.

Runo shrugged her shoulders and left the stage. While she descended the stairs, she couldn't help but wonder why Tali hadn't asked her to recite her other lines…

**Oh my gosh sorry guys! Updating has been slow, hasn't it? I'm getting more reviews per chapter and that makes me very happy! I have decided that I will update once or twice every week on whatever day I finish it on. Is that ok with everyone? More questions! Who will Runo get? Who will be her costars? Does Spectra have something up his sleeve? I hope I'll see you all in the next chappie!**

_~Mitsu-chan~3_


	5. The Starring Role

**Mitsuko Imaidegawa: Updating is slow. Very slow.** **So slow that it's been like three years since an update.**

**Jesse Glenn: Is there a snag in the plot of this play?**

**Mitsuko: No, it's just my laziness being a pain. **

**Jesse: So it is the director's fault, instead of the loyal actors…**

**Mitsuko: Sure, whatever. Could you say the disclaimer?**

**Jesse: With pleasure. After all it is my line. Mitsuko Imaidegawa does not own Bakugan. **

**Plitheon: Why are you even talking to her? She's not even including you in her story!**

**Mitsuko: (angrily) Hey, you can't include the Twelve Orders in New Vestroia! **

**Jesse: I believe that's my cue. I bid you a fond farewell.**

**Mitsuko: I can't believe it…**

Chapter 5

The Starring Role

When Runo found herself back in the main foyer, she almost forgot to get Alice, like Tali had asked her to. She herself was too caught up in her audition and the questions that were running through her mind at amazing speeds. _Why did Tali let me leave without reciting more lines? Will I get the role I want? Maybe it was a bad idea to go out for Cinderella when I know that most of the other girls will try for it, too. But who will everyone else get?_

Runo leaned over and tapped Alice on the shoulder; she had been previously scanning over her script. "Tali says you're next."

Alice nodded, rolled up her script and smiled. "Thanks, Runo."

She smiled back and took her spot next to Mira and the other Resistance members. It wasn't a long time before Alice came down. Runo glanced up and saw her scowling at Lync. He smiled and stood up. She could only assume that the death glare was the Ventus brawlers cue to go for his audition. The other Vexos grinned a bit, but returned to their perusing. Once Lync met up with her, he whispered something unintelligible into her ear. She shot him a look and he snickered away. Runo also couldn't help but notice the slight blush on her cheeks.

"What did he say to you?" she asked.

"He said that he hoped to be starring as my knight in shining armor." She said. Her face looked like she had eaten something extremely sour.

"You didn't say anything back?"

"What could I say?"

Runo left her alone, not wanting to make her feel more uncomfortable than she already was. Instead, she collected her thoughts.

In the course of an hour, almost everyone in the camp had auditioned for his or her respective part. Most of the brawlers were pleased with their performance. Surprisingly enough, the Vexos did not jeer at them or make any snide remarks, besides Lync of course. Runo thought it odd, but didn't want to disturb the peace they were enjoying. After everyone had returned to their seats, Talia came down the stairs, looking particularly pleased with herself.

"Those auditions weren't half bad," she said. "I'm not saying they were perfect, but it was pretty good for your first tries. Now, I know it's fairly early in the day, so I could, if I try, get the parts assigned today." She lifted a finger to her lips. "How will I do this? If you leave me in perfect solitude and quiet, I'm sure I could get it done. What will you do while I contemplate?" She smiled. "Play games. Write poetry. Create some art. Eat lunch. I don't care as long as you don't leave the building or damage any property." Tali glanced at the floor. "It's happened too many times and my record has been blemished enough." She looked back up and smiled again. "Ok? Everything clear? No horseplay boys and girls. I'll come down when I'm done." She started to ascend the stairs once more but stopped, turned around and added, "Oh, and I'll need your scripts."

As soon as the counselor had collected all of the scripts, she shut the door to the stairs and began her heavy thinking. The Brawlers could feel the Vexos' glares on them as they began to settle into their newly found freedom.

"Well, well," Gus said. "Now what shall we do?"

"I know," Shun said sullenly. "We should take Talia's advice and play a game."

"Shun, what are you doing?" Dan whispered. "They're the Vexos, for Pete's sake!

"Did you see how they played capture the flag yesterday?" mentioned Baron with a grimace. "They were tanks!"

"We might be civilized when she's around," Mylene said as she nodded her head in the direction of the stairwell. "But when there's no one here to enforce the rules…"

"We're like animals in the wild!" Shadow finished with a maniacal laugh.

"They're nothing we can't handle," the Ventus brawler said nonchalantly, ignoring the bluette's comments. "If we can defeat them in battle, then we can certainly win in a game of skills."

"What would we play?" asked Alice.

"How about Hide-and-Seek?" suggested Spectra. Everyone turned to look at the masked man and Runo could see that his gaze was on her. She gasped slightly and wondered why he would be staring her down so intently. She didn't want him to feel in control, so she swallowed her fear and plastered a look of confidence on her face.

"Fine then," Runo said. "It'll be the Vexos versus the Brawlers. You guys are it," She pointed right at Spectra. "If you can find all of us within half an hour, you win. If not, we do."

She turned to see her fellow Brawlers looking at her. The boys were proud of her outburst, but the girls seemed a bit more apprehensive. She didn't know why until she saw Spectra approaching her. His arm was outstretched and his smile was infectious.

"Deal," he said as he waited for her to shake his hand. She gulped and grabbed onto his gloved hand, shaking it with a firm grip. Just as she was about to let go, he pulled her closer, almost so much that they were touching. She gasped as he leaned into her ear.

"I will find you, Runo. And when I do—"

Everything went silent as they heard footsteps. The two turned towards the stairwell and everyone scurried towards their respective seats, trying to look natural and as if their confrontation had never occurred. The door opened and they all beheld Talia, looking like a princess arriving at the ball, although her attire begged to differ. The look of triumph on her face showed that she had her cast. Had she made her decisions already?

"By George, I think I have it," she proclaimed. Piles of scripts overflowed from her hands. "Take a seat in a circle."

Everyone obeyed, but Runo could see Spectra mouth, "Tomorrow." A shiver went up her spine.

"Now," she said, folding her hands over her lap. "I know I took longer than I thought, but that's because I want it to be perfect. I won't announce the main roles until later, you know, to build up the suspense. Here it goes."

All eyes were on the woman as she began to go through her immense pile of paper.

"The role of the Palace Official will be played by Ace Grit."

The boy in question shrugged. "Ok, why not." He was passed his script, which now had his role on the upper right-hand corner, as well as his highlighted lines.

"The role of the Sales Clerk will be played by Volt Luster."

The bulky Haos brawler smiled. "This should be fun."

"The role of the Detective will be played by Gus Grav,"

Runo could see Mira's face drop as she saw her Subterra rival pick up the script. She felt bad for her, knowing how hard she was working in order to get the lines just right.

"Thank you," he said with a bow.

"The role of the Judge will be played by Shun Kazami,"

This choice was a bit happier, as all of the brawlers could be seen smiling to each other as their hot-shot Ventus brawler claimed his script.

"It will be my honour," he said.

"The role of the queen will be played by Shadow Prove,"

Everyone almost burst out in laughter at the thought of Shadow cross-dressing in a long ball gown. Even the man himself was laughing, but like a maniac, of course.

"This is gonna be so awesome!"

"The role of the stepmother will be played by Mylene Pharaoh."

_Figures,_ Runo thought to herself, _she's as mean as they get! This part was made for her._

"Technical work will be handled by Marucho Marukura,"

"Like I wasn't going to," he smirked, pushing up his glasses.

"And the role of the king will be played by Dan Kuso."

"Ok folks," Tali said with a smile on her face. "Here are the roles you've all been waiting for."

Runo looked around at the people who were left without a script. There was Alice, Baron, Mira, Spectra, Dan and herself still waiting for their roles. In terms of competition for the remaining female characters, the fairy godmother, the good stepsister, Raspusha, the bad stepsister, Hattie and Cinderella were still up for grabs. But Runo supposed that any one of them could get Cinderella and she could feel butterflies start to fly in her stomach. But then another questioned arose in her mind that seemed to take more priority.

Who would be the prince?

"The role of Cinderella will be played by…"

She paused for added effect and it felt like Runo was about to burst.

"Runo Masaki!"

The Battle Brawlers all cheered for her and she could feel Alice hugging her. She turned to see her smiling at her. "Congratulations, Runo!" she said happily.

"Thanks…" she said in shock, still not sure what had just happened. She apprehensively took her script from Tali and returned to her seat.

"And now…for Runo's Prince Charming…"

Everyone's attention was torn between the two Pyrus brawlers. Who would be playing her love interest in the play? Would it be the fun-loving Dan, who she would definitely trust in the role? Or would it be the mysterious Spectra, the man who seemed to know everything about everyone? Runo closed her eyes and hoped for the right choice.

"Spectra Phantom!"

**Oh my gosh sorry guys! Updating hasn't happened in years! I've gotten your messages and reviews and I will try to continue to write this story more frequently! So now what will Runo do with Spectra as her prince? What role did Dan and the others get? Thanks again for all the support and don't forget to review!**

_~Mitsu-chan~3_


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